Psalm 136
Psalm 136, God’s Never Ending Mercy
Scripture Text
Psalm 136:1, “O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
Psalm 136:2, “O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
Psalm 136:3, “O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
Psalm 136:4, “To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
Psalm 136:5, “To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
Psalm 136:6, “To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
Psalm 136:7, “To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever:”
Psalm 136:8, “The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:”
Psalm 136:9, “The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
Psalm 136:10, “To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever:”
Psalm 136:11, “And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever:”
Psalm 136:12, “With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
Psalm 136:13, “To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever:”
Psalm 136:14, “And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever:”
Psalm 136:15, “But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
Psalm 136:16, “To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
Psalm 136:17, “To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:”
Psalm 136:18, “And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:”
Psalm 136:19, “Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever:”
Psalm 136:20, “And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever:”
Psalm 136:21, “And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever:”
Psalm 136:22, “Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
Psalm 136:23, “Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:”
Psalm 136:24, “And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
Psalm 136:25, “Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
Psalm 136:26, “O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
Introduction
Psalm 136 is one of the most distinctive psalms in the Psalter because every one of its twenty six verses repeats the refrain, “for his mercy endureth for ever.” This repeated phrase is not filler. It is the central theological heartbeat of the psalm. Every act of God mentioned in this psalm is to be interpreted through the lens of His enduring mercy.
The psalm was likely used in public worship as a responsive song. A priest or Levite may have called out the first line, giving a reason to thank the LORD, and the congregation answered each time, “for his mercy endureth for ever.” This kind of responsive praise is seen in Ezra.
Ezra 3:11, “And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because he is good, for mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all people shouted with great shout, when they praised LORD, because foundation of house of LORD was laid.”
The phrase appears many times in the Old Testament in settings of public praise, temple worship, national deliverance, and restored worship. It appears in David’s psalm of praise, in the assignments of the priests, at the dedication of Solomon’s temple, after the LORD gave victory over the Ammonites, in the hope of restoration after Babylonian destruction, and at the dedication of the rebuilt temple in Ezra’s day.
Psalm 136 is sometimes called the Great Hallel, meaning the Great Psalm of Praise. Though it does not use the exact word hallelujah, it is filled with praise because it rehearses the goodness, power, creation, redemption, providence, and covenant faithfulness of God.
The repeated word translated mercy is the great Hebrew word hesed. It carries the idea of mercy, lovingkindness, steadfast love, covenant loyalty, grace, and faithful love. It is not cold obligation. It is not mere legal loyalty. It is God’s loyal love toward His people, flowing from His own character and expressed through His covenant faithfulness.
Psalm 136 teaches that God’s mercy is not temporary. It endures forever. It was present in creation. It was present in the exodus. It was present in the wilderness. It was present in conquest. It was present in Israel’s low estate. It was present in daily provision. It remains forever because God Himself is eternal, good, faithful, and unchanging.
A. The Enduring Mercy of God from the Beginning of Time
1. Psalm 136:1 through Psalm 136:4, The Enduring Mercy of God in His Essential Nature, Who He Is
Psalm 136:1, “O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
The psalm begins with a command, “O give thanks unto the LORD.” Thanksgiving is not merely polite religious language. It is the proper response of redeemed people to the goodness of God. God’s people should think carefully about who He is and what He has done, then return praise and gratitude to Him.
The first reason given is simple and foundational, “for he is good.” God’s goodness is not occasional. It is not dependent on man’s circumstances. It is not something He becomes when life is easy. God is good in His very nature. His works are good because He is good. His judgments are good because He is good. His mercy is good because He is good.
Psalm 34:8, “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is man that trusteth in him.”
Psalm 119:68, “Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.”
Mark 10:18, “And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, God.”
The goodness of God is the source and standard of all true goodness. Man understands good and evil only because he is made in the image of God, though sin has corrupted his judgment.
Genesis 1:26, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after likeness: and let them have dominion over fish of sea, and over fowl of air, and over cattle, and over all earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon earth.”
Genesis 1:27, “So God created man in his own image, in image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”
Because man is made in God’s image, he has moral awareness. Yet because man is fallen, that awareness is damaged.
Romans 5:19, “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”
The refrain follows, “for his mercy endureth for ever.” This is the first of twenty six repetitions. The psalmist wants the congregation to feel the weight of it. God’s mercy does not expire. It does not weaken with time. It does not run out because His people are needy. It endures forever because it rests in God Himself.
The highest demonstration of this enduring mercy is found in Jesus Christ. God’s mercy was not merely spoken. It was embodied in the sending of His Son for sinners.
1 John 4:8, “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”
1 John 4:9, “In this was manifested love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into world, that we might live through him.”
1 John 4:10, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son propitiation for our sins.”
God’s love and mercy are seen most clearly in Christ’s propitiatory sacrifice. The mercy that endures forever is not sentimental tolerance. It is holy mercy secured through the blood of Christ.
Psalm 136:2, “O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
The LORD is called “the God of gods.” This does not mean pagan gods are true gods equal to Him. It means that above every being worshiped or imagined as divine, Yahweh reigns supreme. He alone is God by nature. All idols are nothing. All spiritual beings are creatures. All powers are beneath Him.
Deuteronomy 10:17, “For LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, great God, mighty, and terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward:”
The God of gods is also merciful. His supremacy is not cold. His power is joined with covenant love. Therefore His people give thanks.
Psalm 136:3, “O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
The LORD is also “Lord of lords.” Every earthly authority, king, ruler, master, judge, and power is beneath Him. No throne outranks Him. No empire competes with Him. No ruler escapes His authority.
Revelation 17:14, “These shall make war with Lamb, and Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him called, and chosen, and faithful.”
Revelation 19:16, “And he hath on vesture and on thigh name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
The title that belongs to God in Psalm 136 is openly applied to Christ in Revelation. Jesus Christ is Lord of lords and King of kings. The enduring mercy of God is revealed through the sovereign Lordship of Christ.
Psalm 136:4, “To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
God alone does great wonders. His works are not ordinary. Creation, providence, judgment, redemption, and salvation all display His power. The psalm will go on to list many of these wonders, beginning with creation and moving through the redemption of Israel.
The word alone matters. God does not share His divine glory with idols. He alone creates from nothing. He alone redeems by sovereign power. He alone rules heaven and earth.
Isaiah 44:24, “Thus saith LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from womb, I am LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad earth by myself;”
God’s wonders are also acts of mercy. The psalm does not separate God’s power from His love. He does great wonders “for his mercy endureth for ever.” His power is used for the preservation, deliverance, and blessing of His people.
2. Psalm 136:5 through Psalm 136:9, The Enduring Mercy of God in His Work as Creator
Psalm 136:5, “To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
The psalm now praises God as Creator. He made the heavens “by wisdom.” Creation is not random, chaotic, accidental, or meaningless. It is the work of divine wisdom. The order, balance, beauty, design, and function of the heavens declare the wisdom of the Creator.
Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”
Proverbs 3:19, “The LORD by wisdom hath founded earth; by understanding hath he established heavens.”
God’s creation is a display of wisdom and mercy. The heavens were not made because God lacked anything. He created freely, wisely, and lovingly. The created order gives light, seasons, stability, beauty, and life to His creatures.
Psalm 19:1, “The heavens declare glory of God; and firmament sheweth his handywork.”
Creation is not only a display of power. It is a testimony of mercy. God made a world fit for life, worship, work, and fellowship with Him.
Psalm 136:6, “To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
This verse recalls the separation of land and waters in Genesis.
Genesis 1:9, “And God said, Let waters under heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let dry land appear: and it was so.”
Genesis 1:10, “And God called dry land Earth; and gathering together of waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.”
The earth was stretched out above the waters by God’s command. The dry land appeared because God ordered creation. This too was mercy. Without land, there would be no place for man to live, work, build, plant, worship, and raise families. The ordered earth is a gift of God’s enduring mercy.
Psalm 136:7, “To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever:”
Psalm 136:8, “The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:”
Psalm 136:9, “The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
God made the great lights, the sun, moon, and stars. These verses recall the fourth day of creation.
Genesis 1:14, “And God said, Let there be lights in firmament of heaven to divide day from night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:”
Genesis 1:15, “And let them be for lights in firmament of heaven to give light upon earth: and it was so.”
Genesis 1:16, “And God made two great lights; greater light to rule day, and lesser light to rule night: he made stars also.”
Genesis 1:17, “And God set them in firmament of heaven to give light upon earth,”
Genesis 1:18, “And to rule over day and over night, and to divide light from darkness: and God saw that it was good.”
The heavenly lights are not gods. They are created servants. Pagan peoples often worshiped the sun, moon, and stars, but Scripture places them firmly under the authority of the LORD. He made them. They rule only in the sense that He appointed them to govern day, night, seasons, and time.
Their creation is mercy. The sun gives warmth and light. The moon and stars mark the night. The rhythms of day and night support life, labor, rest, navigation, agriculture, and worship. Every sunrise and every starry night is a testimony that His mercy endures forever.
The psalmist moves from God’s essential goodness to creation, showing that mercy is written into the fabric of the world. The heavens, the earth, the waters, the sun, moon, and stars all declare that God’s faithful love is older than Israel’s history and deeper than any present trouble.
B. The Enduring Mercy of God to His People
1. Psalm 136:10 through Psalm 136:15, The Enduring Mercy of God in the Deliverance from Egypt
Psalm 136:10, “To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever:”
Psalm 136:11, “And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever:”
Psalm 136:12, “With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
Psalm 136:13, “To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever:”
Psalm 136:14, “And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever:”
Psalm 136:15, “But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
The psalm now moves from creation to redemption. The God who made the heavens and earth also entered history to deliver His covenant people from bondage. Creation and exodus are placed side by side as real acts of God. Scripture treats both as historical works of the living God.
The first act remembered is the final plague upon Egypt, “To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn.” This was judgment upon a wicked nation that had enslaved Israel and defied the LORD. Pharaoh had refused God’s command again and again.
Exodus 4:22, “And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:”
Exodus 4:23, “And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.”
The judgment on Egypt’s firstborn was severe, but it was not unjust. It came after long rebellion and oppression. It also demonstrated that the LORD is sovereign over life, death, nations, rulers, and false gods.
Exodus 12:12, “For I will pass through land of Egypt this night, and will smite all firstborn in land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am LORD.”
At the same time, Israel was spared by the blood of the Passover lamb.
Exodus 12:13, “And blood shall be to you for token upon houses where ye are: and when I see blood, I will pass over you, and plague shall not upon you to destroy you, when I smite land of Egypt.”
This was mercy. Israel did not deliver itself. Israel was brought out by God. The psalm says He “brought out Israel from among them.” God separated His people from bondage and led them out with power.
Exodus 6:6, “Wherefore say unto children of Israel, I am LORD, and I will bring you out from under burdens of Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with stretched out arm, and with great judgments:”
Exodus 6:7, “And I will take you to me for people, and I will be to you God: and ye shall know that I am LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under burdens of Egyptians.”
Psalm 136:12 says He did this “with a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm.” This is the language of divine power in redemption. God’s mercy is not weak compassion that cannot act. His mercy is strong. His arm is stretched out to save.
Then the psalm remembers the Red Sea. “To him which divided the Red sea into parts.” Israel came to the sea with Pharaoh’s army behind them. Humanly speaking, they were trapped. But the LORD opened the sea.
Exodus 14:21, “And Moses stretched out hand over sea; and LORD caused sea to go back by strong east wind all that night, and made sea dry land, and waters were divided.”
Exodus 14:22, “And children of Israel went into midst of sea upon dry ground: and waters were wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.”
Psalm 136:14 says God “made Israel to pass through the midst of it.” The same waters that threatened Israel became the path of deliverance. The same sea that seemed like an obstacle became the road of salvation.
Psalm 136:15 says God “overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea.” The deliverance of Israel included the judgment of the enemy. Pharaoh pursued, but God shook him off into destruction.
Exodus 14:27, “And Moses stretched forth hand over sea, and sea returned to strength when morning appeared; and Egyptians fled against it; and LORD overthrew Egyptians in midst of sea.”
Exodus 14:28, “And waters returned, and covered chariots, and horsemen, and all host of Pharaoh that came into sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.”
The refrain after each act is the same, “for his mercy endureth for ever.” God’s mercy to Israel included judgment upon Egypt. This is important. Mercy toward God’s oppressed people and judgment upon their unrepentant oppressors are not contradictions. They are two sides of righteous deliverance.
For the Christian, the exodus points to the greater redemption in Christ. Christ is our Passover.
1 Corinthians 5:7, “Purge out therefore old leaven, that ye may be new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:”
Through His blood, believers are redeemed from bondage to sin and delivered from judgment.
2. Psalm 136:16 through Psalm 136:22, The Enduring Mercy of God from the Wilderness to the Promised Land
Psalm 136:16, “To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
This one verse summarizes forty years of God’s mercy. The wilderness was a place of danger, hunger, thirst, heat, exposure, enemies, testing, and discipline. Yet God led His people through it.
He gave them manna.
Exodus 16:4, “Then said LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and people shall go out and gather certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in law, or no.”
He gave them water.
Exodus 17:6, “Behold, I will stand before thee there upon rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite rock, and there shall come water out of it, that people may drink. And Moses did so in sight of elders of Israel.”
He guided them.
Exodus 13:21, “And LORD went before them by day in pillar of cloud, to lead them way; and by night in pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:”
Exodus 13:22, “He took not away pillar of cloud by day, nor pillar of fire by night, from before people.”
He preserved their clothing and feet.
Deuteronomy 29:5, “And I have led you forty years in wilderness: your clothes are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot.”
Israel often sinned in the wilderness, yet God’s mercy endured. He chastened them, but did not abandon them. He corrected them, but continued to lead them. This is mercy under pressure. It endured through complaint, unbelief, and weakness.
Psalm 136:17, “To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:”
Psalm 136:18, “And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:”
Psalm 136:19, “Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever:”
Psalm 136:20, “And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever:”
At the end of the wilderness journey, Israel faced powerful enemies. Sihon king of the Amorites and Og king of Bashan stood against them. These kings were not minor obstacles. They represented real opposition to Israel entering the promised inheritance. Yet the LORD defeated them.
Numbers 21:23, “And Sihon would not suffer Israel to pass through border: but Sihon gathered all people together, and went out against Israel into wilderness: and he came to Jahaz, and fought against Israel.”
Numbers 21:24, “And Israel smote him with edge of sword, and possessed his land from Arnon unto Jabbok, even unto children of Ammon: for border of children of Ammon was strong.”
Numbers 21:33, “And they turned and went up by way of Bashan: and Og king of Bashan went out against them, he, and all people, to battle at Edrei.”
Numbers 21:34, “And LORD said unto Moses, Fear him not: for I have delivered him into thy hand, and all people, and land; and thou shalt do to him as thou didst unto Sihon king of Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon.”
Numbers 21:35, “So they smote him, and sons, and all people, until there was none left him alive: and they possessed his land.”
The defeat of these kings showed that God’s mercy does not end when a new enemy appears. The LORD who judged Pharaoh at the beginning of the journey also defeated Sihon and Og near the end. His mercy endured from Egypt to the edge of the promised land.
Psalm 136:21, “And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever:”
Psalm 136:22, “Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
The LORD not only defeated enemies, He gave their land as an inheritance. Israel’s inheritance was not earned by superior power. It was given by God according to covenant promise.
Genesis 17:7, “And I will establish covenant between me and thee and seed after thee in their generations for everlasting covenant, to be God unto thee, and to seed after thee.”
Genesis 17:8, “And I will give unto thee, and to seed after thee, land wherein thou art stranger, all land of Canaan, for everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”
The land was part of God’s covenant with Abraham and his descendants. Psalm 136 praises the LORD because He kept His promise. He gave Israel an heritage.
This has important theological weight. The land promise was not a human invention. It was covenantal. God gave it. Israel’s history in the land includes obedience, disobedience, judgment, exile, return, and future restoration, but the promise itself rests in God’s word.
3. Psalm 136:23 through Psalm 136:25, The Enduring Mercy of God in Ongoing Deliverance and Help
Psalm 136:23, “Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:”
The psalm now moves from the great historical acts of the past to the personal and ongoing experience of God’s people. God “remembered us in our low estate.” This may refer to Israel’s repeated seasons of humiliation, oppression, exile, weakness, or distress. It also applies broadly to the believer’s experience of God’s mercy in personal low places.
To say God remembered does not mean He had forgotten and then recalled. It means He turned His attention toward His people in covenant mercy and acted for their good.
Exodus 2:23, “And it came to pass in process of time, that king of Egypt died: and children of Israel sighed by reason of bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of bondage.”
Exodus 2:24, “And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.”
Exodus 2:25, “And God looked upon children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.”
God remembered His covenant and acted. Psalm 136:23 says the same. His mercy endures in the low estate.
The phrase “low estate” is important. God’s mercy does not belong only to the strong, visible, successful, and prominent. He remembers His people when they are low, humbled, weak, broken, and needy.
Psalm 136:24, “And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
God not only remembers, He redeems. He rescues His people from enemies. In Israel’s history, those enemies were many. Egypt, the wilderness enemies, Canaanite kings, oppressors, invaders, and hostile nations all opposed them. Yet God redeemed them again and again.
For the Christian, the enemies include sin, Satan, death, the world, and the flesh. Christ redeems His people from these by His blood and power.
Ephesians 1:7, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, forgiveness of sins, according riches of his grace;”
Hebrews 2:14, “Forasmuch then as children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part same; that through death he might destroy him that had power of death, that is, devil;”
Hebrews 2:15, “And deliver them who through fear of death were all lifetime subject to bondage.”
The mercy of God is seen in redemption. He does not merely pity from a distance. He acts to rescue.
Psalm 136:25, “Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
The psalm broadens again from Israel to all flesh. God gives food to all living creatures. This is providential mercy. Every meal is evidence that God sustains life.
Psalm 145:15, “The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.”
Psalm 145:16, “Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest desire of every living thing.”
God’s provision extends beyond Israel. It extends to all flesh. He feeds man and beast. He sustains life across the earth.
After the flood, God made a covenant that included all flesh.
Genesis 9:11, “And I will establish covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by waters of flood; neither shall there any more be flood to destroy earth.”
Genesis 9:15, “And I will remember covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and waters shall no more become flood to destroy all flesh.”
God’s mercy is seen in ordinary providence. Food on the table is not merely the result of human labor. It is the gift of God. The farmer plants, the worker labors, the merchant sells, and the family eats, but God gives life, rain, seasons, soil, strength, and breath.
Acts 14:17, “Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling hearts with food and gladness.”
The God who split the Red Sea also gives daily bread. Both are mercy. One is dramatic. The other is ordinary. Both come from the same LORD whose mercy endures forever.
4. Psalm 136:26, Gratitude to the God of Enduring Mercy
Psalm 136:26, “O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
The psalm ends as it began, with thanksgiving. The final title is “the God of heaven.” This title emphasizes God’s universal rule. He is not merely Israel’s tribal deity. He is the God of heaven, the true and living God, sovereign over all creation.
This title was especially meaningful in later biblical history, including exile and return, when God’s people needed to remember that even foreign kings, empires, and earthly circumstances were under the rule of the God of heaven.
Ezra 1:2, “Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, LORD God of heaven hath given me all kingdoms of earth; and he hath charged me to build him house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.”
Even a pagan ruler had to acknowledge the God of heaven in connection with the return from exile and the rebuilding of the temple. Psalm 136 closes by calling all people to give thanks to this God.
The final refrain is the same, “for his mercy endureth for ever.” After creation, exodus, wilderness, conquest, remembrance, rescue, and daily provision, the conclusion is settled. God’s mercy endures forever.
This means the past cannot exhaust His mercy. The present cannot outrun His mercy. The future cannot outlast His mercy. Suffering cannot cancel His mercy. Distance cannot remove His mercy. Death cannot defeat His mercy. The mercy of God in Christ will carry His people forever.
Romans 8:38, “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things come,”
Romans 8:39, “Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall able to separate us from love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
The mercy that endured through creation, Egypt, the Red Sea, the wilderness, and Israel’s low estate is the same mercy that holds the believer in Christ. Therefore, the proper response is thanksgiving. “O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
Doctrinal and Practical Summary
Psalm 136 teaches that thanksgiving must be rooted in the character and works of God. The LORD is good, He is the God of gods, He is the Lord of lords, and He alone does great wonders.
The psalm teaches that God’s mercy is enduring, covenantal, loving, and active. His mercy is not a temporary emotion. It is His steadfast lovingkindness toward His people, and it endures forever.
Psalm 136 teaches that creation itself is an act of divine mercy. The heavens, earth, waters, sun, moon, and stars all display God’s wisdom and goodness toward His creatures.
The psalm teaches that redemption is an act of mercy. God delivered Israel from Egypt, judged Pharaoh, divided the Red Sea, brought His people through, and overthrew the enemy. This points forward to the greater redemption accomplished through Jesus Christ.
Psalm 136 teaches that God’s mercy continues through the wilderness. He leads, provides, corrects, preserves, and sustains His people even in hard places.
The psalm teaches that God’s mercy gives inheritance. He defeated Sihon and Og and gave their land to Israel as a heritage, because He keeps His covenant promises.
Psalm 136 also teaches that God remembers His people in their low estate. He sees them when they are weak, humbled, oppressed, and needy. His mercy does not abandon them there.
Finally, Psalm 136 teaches that ordinary provision is mercy. The God who does great wonders also gives food to all flesh. Every meal, every breath, every season of provision is evidence that His mercy endures forever.
